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REUTER: Khin Nyunt Attacks the West



Subject: REUTER: Khin Nyunt Attacks the Western Democracies 

 Khin Nyunt Attacks the West Democracies 

    RANGOON, May 27 (Reuter) - Burma's military intelligence chief has
attacked Western countries for interfering in the country's affairs, and
said Burmese people must not fall prey to bids to trap them under foreign
influence.
     "There is a group of persons in Myanmar (Burma) swaying to the
enticement of a big nation which is attempting to bring Myanmar under its
influence in the pretext of democracy and human rights," Lieutenant-General
Khin Nyunt said in a speech.
     The speech, reported in state-run newsapers on Monday, was given on
Sunday as democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi opened a meeting of her
National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
     Khin Nyunt was apparently referring to the United States, which has
strongly criticised the military government over recent days for detention
of more than 250 democracy activists in an unsuccessful bid to scuttle the
NLD meeting.
     The United States said on Saturday it was deeply concerned by the
situation and had sent a special envoy to discuss a coordinated response
with European and Asian allies.
     Other Western countries have condemned the crackdown and called for
the release of those detained.
     Khin Nyunt said the West had continued to trap developing nations in a
bid to bring smaller countries under its influence.
     "Memories of misery and distress under servitude for over 100 years
are still etched in the minds of Myanmar (Burmese) nationals who foresee
that the nation will disappear if it comes under other's influence," he
said, referrring to British colonial rule in Burma that ended in 1948.
     An editorial in newspapers on Monday urged people to beware of the
"maggots" who colluded with foreigners -- an apparent reference to Suu Kyi
and her NLD party.
     "If we do not learn from the past and beware of the maggots that are
active today, the nation will suffer another disaster that will take a long
time to mend, much less heal, and we will be responsible for the shackling
that the new generation will suffer as the result of our folly," the
editorial said.
     "Today, colonialists do not necessarily invade a nation or plant their
banner on another's land. They use maggots that can eat away into the
flesh. They rule by proxy," it said.
     Editorials and commentaries in Burma's tightly-controlled state-run
newspapers are assumed to reflect the thinking of the ruling generals.
  REUTER
KT
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